INDIANAPOLIS — A few days ago, Lorenzo Brown’s greatest concern was southbound traffic from Springfield, Mass., to Philadelphia. Saturday, Brown was told he would be the 76ers’ backup point guard against the Eastern Conference’s hottest team.

No pressure, right?

“I haven’t really thought about it until you brought it up, to tell you the truth,” Brown said. “Like you said, just come out and play.”

Brown, signed by the Sixers from the Springfield Armor of the NBA D-League, got the nod to handle some of the point guard duties while sixth man Tony Wroten deals with a lower back strain he picked up Friday against Milwaukee. Wroten did not travel with the team.

The 23-year-old Brown has had a whirlwind week that featured signing an NBA contract Tuesday and making his pro debut Wednesday, and culminated with the promise of significant playing time against the Indiana Pacers, who entered with the best record in the East.

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“It’s a dream come true, you know?” Brown said. “When I get my chance I have to step up and do something for the team.”

Sixers coach Brett Brown said he has some reservations about turning loose a player he only met midweek, though his options were limited. Without Wroten, and since starting point guard Michael Carter-Williams and swingman Evan Turner are on the floor simultaneously, the coach said he needs somebody to run the second unit.

That somebody, at least for one night, would be Lorenzo Brown.

“Well, you know, I met Lorenzo 48 hours ago and we’ll throw him into the mix,” Brett Brown said before the game.

But is he ready?

“When are you ready? He’s a young kid with a chance to come in and play against a great NBA team and be an NBA point guard,” the coach added. “These opportunities for him haven’t happened very often and tonight, through situation, they’ll happen quicker than he expected.”

Daniel Orton was joking with Hollis Thompson from across the locker room, chiding Thompson in pregame for the number of tickets he requests for family and friends, no matter what city the Sixers visit.

“Don’t believe what he tells you,” Thompson said of Orton.

Believe Orton? Maybe not, but people are starting to believe in Thompson.

The second-year wing drew rave reviews from his coach Friday, after making all but two of his nine attempts and scoring a career-best 16 points. Thompson, who went undrafted two years ago, earned the last roster spot out of training camp, and he’s demonstrating why Brown kept him on board.

“I think it just comes with time, and with the opportunity Coach has given me,” Thompson said. “My teammates had to trust me enough to let me do the job.”

Indiana’s Lance Stephenson had a triple-double Friday. It was a league-leading second triple-double of the season for Stephenson, the fourth-year forward who finally seems to be finding his way in the NBA.

Not that Stephenson’s 10-point, 11-assist, 10-rebound effort surprised his coach.

“I thought by the end of November he might have two, maybe three,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said, grinning.

The Pacers’ starting point guard is a guy with whom Brown is quite familiar.

Brown coached George Hill in San Antonio for three seasons, from 2008-11, when the point guard was drafted by the Spurs. Brown said the evolution of Hill, who’s averaging 12.2 points and 3.2 assists, includes embracing the point guard position — even if Hill doesn’t want to be classified as one.

“Well, he should get over it and think he’s a pretty darn good point guard,” Brown said jokingly. “If he wants to be called a player, we’ll call him a player.”